This invention relates to an electric connector and, more particularly, to an electric connector used in wiring harnesses aboard vehicles.
An electric connector normally comprises a plastic material connector body having a plurality of housings in which respective electrical contacts are inserted. In many types of connectors, the contacts are clipped into the respective housings.
One of the most frequent causes of failure in electrical systems aboard vehicles derives from the imperfect fastening of the contacts in the housings on the connector body. Often a connector with an imperfectly fastened contact will pass the initial electric test. Resultantly, this contact may later interrupt the electric connection with a similar contact in working conditions due to movements generated by vibrations, thermal dilatation, etc. For this reason, after assembly of the contacts in the connector body, it is often necessary to check that the contacts are correctly arranged in the respective housings.
A traditional way of testing the correct assembly of the contacts consists in forming small indented portions on the contacts. When the contacts are correctly fitted in the respective housings, the indented portions are arranged to correspond with a passing opening formed in the connector body. Correct assembly of the contacts is tested by coupling the connector with a test device equipped with a projecting portion that is inserted in the passing opening in the connector body. The test device is constructed so that if at least one of the contacts is not correctly arranged in the housing, an interference occurs preventing the reciprocal coupling of the connector and the test device.
A problem associated with the described test method is that test reliability depends solely on the individual carrying out the test, because it is not possible to know whether the finished connector has passed the test or not by mere examination. It is therefore desirable to develop a connector that overcomes the aforesaid problem.
The invention relates to an electric connector for use in the electric connection between the electric system of a vehicle and the electric devices and controls arranged on the steering wheel of the vehicle. The connector comprises a first connector body and a second connector body. The first connector body having a first housing, a first opening, and a first projecting portion. The second connector body having a second housing, a second opening, and a second projecting portion. A plurality of contacts having indented portions such that when the contacts are correctly inserted into the first and second housings, the indented portions correspond with the first and second openings. As a result, when the second connector body is received in the first connector body the first projecting portion is received in the second opening and the second projecting portion is received in the first opening to reciprocally couple the first and second connector bodies.